Blaze guts shed in Rockland

By Beth A. Birmingham | May 11, 2014

Photo by: Beth A. BirminghamThis shed at 91 West Meadow Road in Rockland was destroyed following a structure fire Sunday, May 11. One of three vehicles in the adjacent driveway received major damage as well.

Rockland — A burn barrel is to blame for a structure fire in Rockland Sunday, May 11.

According to Bill Benner, resident at 91 West Meadow Road, he had returned from an overnight camp out with a group of Scouts around noon. He said he laid the burn barrel on its side next to the shed and apparently it was hot enough to start some dry leaves on fire.

The fire quickly spread to the shed and became fully engulfed.

Neighbors and passersby helped clear away propane tanks and get some water flowing through some hoses, until the flames got too hot, according to Sheldon Bryant of Thomaston, who happened to be driving by.

"It is one of life's lessons," said acting fire chief Adam Miceli in a phone interview May 12. "You need to be certain to turn the ashes over and soak them down well," he said.

Although the barrel had sat over night and appeared to be extinguished, live embers were trapped in the bottom, according to Miceli.

Nobody was home at the adjacent house owned by Dana Meklin. One of the four vehicles in the driveway started on fire and received major damage. The siding of the house also buckled from the heat of the blaze, he said.

No one was injured.

Rockland Fire and Emergency Medical Services, Rockland Police Department and Rockport Fire Department responded to the call that came in at approximately 1:17 p.m. They remained on scene until 2:45 p.m.

This trailer was not involved in a structure fire that destroyed an adjacent shed Sunday, May 11 in Rockland.
(Photo by: Beth A. Birmingham)

Firefighters work to contain a structure fire on West Meadow Road in Rockland Sunday, May 11. Within an hour, a storage shed was a complete loss. The adjacent houses did not catch fire.
(Photo by: Beth A. Birmingham)

All that remains of this shed at 91 West Meadow Road. following a structure fire Sunday, May 11. A burn barrel is believed to be the cause of the blaze that took less than an hour demolish the building.
(Photo by: Beth A. Birmingham)

At right, Bill Benner watches as firefighters make sure no further flames are evident following a structure fire May 11. The resident of 91 West Meadow Road in Rockland lost everything in the shed to the blaze. The adjacent homes were not involved.
(Photo by: Beth A. Birmingham)

Comments (8)

Posted by: cathy Cleaveland | May 12, 2014 19:13

I agree with Jay. Bill is such a nice person!

Posted by: Richard Randall | May 12, 2014 19:01

I agree Jay, very well said!

Posted by: Jay Feyler | May 12, 2014 18:46

Bill has volunteered thousands, yes thousands of hours to the Scouts and other area functions. If you need help Bill is there to assist you, he probably has volunteered more hours than all of us combined and instead of wise comments get off our duffs and get involved. People make mistakes and he immediately took responsibility, how many of you would have done the same?

Posted by: Susan Sinclair | May 12, 2014 15:22

I'd like to ban things that stupid people can use to cause harm to OTHER PEOPLE'S BODY AND PROPERTY. You go ahead and do whatever you want to yourself, but when it endangers me, you bet your life I don't trust YOU to look out for MY interests.

Posted by: Wyatt Anderson | May 11, 2014 21:02

Just think.... he could be your boys scout leader!!

Posted by: Francis Mazzeo, Jr. | May 11, 2014 20:59

You probably want to ban boy scouts as well.

Posted by: todd caverly | May 11, 2014 20:49

Yes, lets just ban everything that might ever, eventually, under some circumstance, cause a problem, and trust the government, with law upon law, to take care of us. Or, lets go back to freedoms, and personal responsibility.